Engineering:RPO-A Shmel

From HandWiki
RPO-A Shmel'
RPO-A missile and launcher.jpg
RPO-Shmel' and Launcher
TypeMissile launcher
Place of originSoviet Union
Service history
In service1986
Used bySee Operators
WarsSoviet–Afghan War
War in Afghanistan
First Chechen War
Second Chechen War
Kivu conflict[1]
Insurgency in Jammu and Kashmir
Syrian Civil War[2]
Iraqi Civil War[2]
Russo-Ukrainian War[3]
Production history
DesignerKBP
Designed1984
ManufacturerKBP
ProducedLate 1980s
VariantsSee Variants
Specifications
Mass11 kg (24 lb)
LengthLauncher: 920 mm
Rocket: 700mm

Calibre93 mm
Muzzle velocity125 ±5 m/s
Effective firing range20 m – 1000 m (sighting range is 600 m)
RPO-M is 1700 m (sighting range is 800 m)
Sightsiron
References[4]

The RPO-A Shmel'[5][6] (Russian: реактивный пехотный огнемёт РПО-А «Шмель», lit. 'rocket-propelled infantry flamethrower "Bumblebee"') is a man-portable, single-use, rocket-assisted thermobaric weapon.[7][8] Despite the literal translation referring to the weapon as a flamethrower, it does not produce a jet of burning liquid - it is in fact an unguided rocket launcher that fires rounds that explode into a cloud of very hot gases.

The Shmel is designed, produced and exported by the Russian Federation and previously by the Soviet Union. It entered service with the Soviet Armed Forces at the end of the 1980s as the successor for the RPO Rys.

Description

The RPO-A is a single-shot, self-contained tube shaped launcher that operates much like the LAW anti-tank launcher, a sealed tube, carried in a man-pack in pairs. The same person can remove the tube, place it in firing position, and launch the weapon without assistance. After launch, the tube is discarded. All models are externally similar.[8]

Designed to defeat concealed enemy firing positions, disable lightly armored vehicles and destroy enemy manpower. The aiming range with a diopter sight is 600 meters, with an OPO optical sight - 450 m, OPO-1 - up to 850 m.

Ammunition

Each weapon contains a single rocket, of which there are three varieties. The basic rocket is the RPO-A, which has a thermobaric warhead and is designed for attacking soft targets under moderate cover. The RPO-Z is a incendiary warhead (from зажигательный, zazhigatel'nyy, 'incendiary') designed to spread fire and ignite targets. The RPO-D is a smoke warhead (from дымовой, dymovoy, 'related to smoke').

Variants

RPO PDM-A Shmel-M

An updated development is the improved RPO-M "Shmel-M" that was shown for the first time at Eurosatory 2006. This version is similar to the original weapon, but has a calibre of 90 mm, a weight of 8.8 kg (19 lb), and an overall length of 940 mm. The system has better ergonomics, an improved rocket, and better ballistics and terminal effects. It consists of a disposable launching tube attached to a reusable fire control unit that includes the pistol grip, electronic trigger and safety, and a folding base with an optical sight and additional rail for an infrared/night vision sight. Effective range is 300 m, maximum sighting range is 800 m, and maximum range is 1,700 m. The thermobaric warhead's blast effect is equivalent to 5.5 kg (12 lb) of TNT, comparable to a 155 mm artillery shell. The "Shmel-M" is also known as RPO PDM-A (from Повышенной Дальности и Мощности, Povyshennoy Dal'nosti i Moshchnosti, 'enhanced range and power') and is produced for the local and export markets. A version with a mechanical sight was adopted on 24 December 2003.[9][10][11][12][13]

The MRO-A is a smaller development of the RPO-series with caliber reduced to 72.5 mm, similar to the RShG-2. It is self-contained, disposable, single-shot recoilless launcher with an overall length of 900 mm, weight of 4.7 kg (10 lb), and has a folding forward grip. The sights are RPO-based, with a fixed front and folding ladder-type diopter rear, giving an effective range of 90 m and maximum range of 450 m. The MRO-series includes different versions, again based on RPO versions: MRO-A thermobaric; MRO-D white phosphorus smoke; and MRO-Z incendiary. It was adopted by the Russian army around 2002 and issued to chemical troops to supplement the larger RPO-A.[14][3][15][16]

MGK Bur[17] (Russian: малогабаритный гранатомётный Комплекс «Бур», romanized: Malogabaritnyy Granatomotnyy Kompleks "Bur" — Compact Grenade-launching System "Auger") is a 62 mm version of the RPO-M consisting of two major components: the disposable launch tube and reusable fire control unit. Described as "the most compact grenade launcher in the world," the weapon has an overall length of 742 mm and weighs 5 kg (11 lb). Loaded tubes weigh 3.5 kg (7.7 lb) and can fire thermobaric (blast yield similar to 6 kg (13 lb) of TNT, or a 122 mm artillery rocket) or fragmentation warheads. The fire control unit is the same one used on the RPO-M, weighing 1.5 kg (3.3 lb) and enabling ranges of 25–650 m with the baseline day sight; night and thermal systems are also available. Maximum range is 950 meters, with a firing mechanism service life of at least 500 rounds. It can be fired in confined spaces with a volume of at least 30 cubic meters. As of October 2014, it has been accepted into service and serial production has been started.[18][19][20][21][22][23]

Service history

RPO weapons have seen use by the Soviet Army in Afghanistan and by both the Russian invasion forces and Chechen resistance forces in the First and Second Chechen Wars. In September 1997, a large number of RPO were included in an arms airdrop to pro-Nguesso forces during the Second Republic of Congo Civil War.[24] On September 3, 2005, Russian forces used RPO-A Shmel as part of the effort to end the Beslan school siege.[25] On 9 August 2014, during the war in Donbas, the Ukrainian border checkpoint of Milove was attacked using RPO thermobaric weapons. The main building was hit by five incendiary rockets.[26] It was used by Indian Army in September 2016 for surgical strike against insurgents in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir successfully. It was also used on 8 February 2017 in Ukraine, killing Donetsk People's Republic commander Mikhail "Givi" Tolstykh.[27] The munition has seen wide use by the Russian Federation in its 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

On October 2, 2023, an attack by presumed PKK members was foiled in the Turkish capital city of Ankara.[28] One attacker was armed with an M4 Carbine and an RPO launcher.

On December 2, 2023, Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, announced their first deployment of the weapon during the 2023 Israel–Hamas war to target a specialized Israeli force taking cover in a house in Jabalia, Northern Gaza.[29]

Operators

Map with RPO-A operators in blue and former operators in red

Current operators

  •  Russia
  •  Armenia
  •  Afghanistan[30]
  •  Belarus The PDM-A Priz is replacing the RPO-A Shmel[31]
  •  China Produced under license in the name PF97
  •  Republic of Congo
  • Cobra militia received several RPO-A in September 1997[24]

Former operators

See also

  • BMO-T, a specialized heavy armored personnel carrier based on the T-72 tank and intended to carry a squad of soldiers armed with RPO launchers
  • FHJ-84 — an over/under two-shot variant from China
  • M202 FLASH — a similar weapon developed by the US Army
  • List of Russian weaponry
  • Russian NBC Protection Troops — main user.

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 Small Arms Survey (2015). "Waning Cohesion: The Rise and Fall of the FDLR–FOCA". Small Arms Survey 2015: weapons and the world. Cambridge University Press. p. 203. http://www.smallarmssurvey.org/fileadmin/docs/A-Yearbook/2015/eng/Small-Arms-Survey-2015-Chapter-07-EN.pdf. Retrieved 2018-08-29. 
  2. 2.0 2.1 "This "Bumblebee" Flamethrower Packs a Mean Stinger". 4 November 2015. https://www.popularmechanics.com/military/weapons/a18067/this-bumblebee-flamethrower-packs-a-mean-stinger/. 
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 Smallwood, Michael (1 June 2014). "Russian MRO-A Rocket Launchers in Ukraine". http://armamentresearch.com/russian-mro-a-rocket-launchers-in-ukraine/. 
  4. Gander, Terry (2001-01-05). "RPO-A Shmel rocket infantry flame-thrower". Land Forces. Jane's. http://www.janes.com/defence/land_forces/news/jidr/jidr010104_3_n.shtml. 
  5. "RPO-A Shmel Thermobaric Rocket Launcher | Military-Today.com". http://www.military-today.com/firearms/rpo_a_shmel.htm. 
  6. "Flew, exploded, burned to the ground: What can a manual "bumblebee"-the killer". http://weaponews.com/weapons/8983-flew-exploded-burned-to-the-ground-what-can-a-manual-bumblebee--the-ki.html. 
  7. ""SHMEL" INFANTRY ROCKET-ASSISTED FLAMETHROWER". http://www.kbptula.ru/en/productions/small-arms-guns-grenade-launchers/flame-throwers/rpo-shmel. 
  8. 8.0 8.1 Sergeev, S. G. (1989). Weapon handling manual. 93mm rocket assisted infantry flamethrower (RPO-A) [In Russian]. Ministry of Defence. USSR. https://arsenal-info.ru/b/book/1396712997. 
  9. "KBP. Infantry Rocket-Assisted Flamethrower of Enhanced Range and Lethality". http://kbptula.ru/eng/atgw/shmelm.htm. 
  10. "Modern Firearms". 28 October 2010. http://world.guns.ru/grenade/rus/rpo-m-shmel-m-e.html. 
  11. David Crane (19 July 2006). "New RPO Shmel-M Infantry Rocket Flamethrower Man-Packable Thermobaric Weapon". DefenseReview.com (DR): An online tactical technology and military defense technology magazine with particular focus on the latest and greatest tactical firearms news (tactical gun news), tactical gear news and tactical shooting news.. http://www.defensereview.com/new-rpo-shmel-m-infantry-rocket-flamethrower-man-packable-thermobaric-weapon/. 
  12. "Rocket Flamethrower Shmel-M (Огнемет Шмель-М)". YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzxVL8WoTwo. 
  13. "ОАО "Конструкторское бюро приборостроения" - РПО ПДМ-А Шмель-М". http://www.kbptula.ru/index.php/ru/razrabotki-kbp/strelkovo-pushechnoe-i-granatometnoe-vooruzhenie/ognemety/rpo-pdm-a-shmel-m. 
  14. MRO-A small disposable thermbaric grenade launcher /rocket propelled flame-thrower (Russia) - Modernfirearms.net
  15. Russian MRO-A thermobaric rocket launchers in Syria - Armamentresearch.com, 30 October 2015
  16. Russian MRO-A Rocket Launchers in the Ukraine - SAdefensejournal.com, 1 January 2016
  17. "KBP MGK "Bur"". https://www.all4shooters.com/en/Shooting/pro-zone/KBP-MGK-BUR-Rocket-Launcher-Eurosatory-2014/. 
  18. (in English) http://kbptula.ru/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=309&Itemid=653&lang=en#spoiler_0
  19. "Впервые на IDEX-2013 КБП рекламирует многоцелевой ракетный комплекс дальнего действия "Корнет-ЭМ"" (in ru). ЦАМТО. Moscow: Centre for Analysis of World Arms Trade. 18 February 2013. http://armstrade.org/includes/periodics/news/2013/0218/095017139/detail.shtml. 
  20. "ТАСС: Армия и ОПК - В Туле налажен серийный выпуск гранатометов "Бур"". ТАСС. http://itar-tass.com/armiya-i-opk/1521472. 
  21. BUR grenade launcher - Modernfirearms.net
  22. Small-size grenade launcher in production - Janes.com, 6 November 2014
  23. Bur small-sized grenade launcher entered in service with Russian anti-terrorist units - Armyrecognition.com, 29 June 2016
  24. 24.0 24.1 Small Arms Survey (2003). "Making the Difference?: Weapon Collection and Small Arms Availability in the Republic of Congo". Small Arms Survey 2003: Development Denied. Oxford University Press. pp. 262–263. ISBN 0199251754. http://www.smallarmssurvey.org/fileadmin/docs/A-Yearbook/2003/en/Small-Arms-Survey-2003-Chapter-08-EN.pdf. Retrieved 2018-08-29. 
  25. Medetsky, Anatoly; Voitova, Yana (2005-07-21). "A Reversal Over Beslan Only Fuels Speculation". The Moscow Times. http://www.themoscowtimes.com/news/article/a-reversal-over-beslan-only-fuels-speculation/211124.html. 
  26. "Погранзаставу в Меловом обстреляли из огнеметов с территории РФ". Liga News. 9 August 2014. http://news.liga.net/news/politics/2860108-pogranzastavu_v_melovom_obstrelyali_iz_ognemetov_s_territorii_rf.htm. 
  27. "Separatist commander Mikhail Tolstykh, 'Givi', killed in eastern Ukraine". CBCNews. http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/separatist-commander-mikhail-tolstykh-givi-killed-ukraine-1.3971740. 
  28. https://www.independent.co.uk/world/turkey-suicide-bomber-terrorist-b2421817.html
  29. "Al-Qassam Brigades deploy anti-bunker missile RPO-A for the first time | Al Bawaba" (in en). https://www.albawaba.net/news/al-qassam-brigades-deploy-anti-bunker-missile-rpo-first-time-1546696. 
  30. Bhatia, Michael Vinai; Sedra, Mark (May 2008). Small Arms Survey. ed. Afghanistan, Arms and Conflict: Armed Groups, Disarmament and Security in a Post-War Society. Routledge. p. 66. ISBN 978-0-415-45308-0. https://books.google.com/books?id=P4N9AgAAQBAJ. Retrieved 2018-09-01. 
  31. "Belarusian Army has adopted Russian PDM-A Priz 90 mm rocket launcher | February 2019 Global Defense Security army news industry | Defense Security global news industry army 2019 | Archive News year". https://www.armyrecognition.com/february_2019_global_defense_security_army_news_industry/belarusian_army_have_adopted_russian_pdm-a_priz_90_mm_rocket_launcher.html. 
  32. ":: Rosyjska broń dla Fidżi" (in pl). altair.pl. http://www.altair.com.pl/news/view?news_id=18730. 
  33. Mehta, Raj K. (2010) (in en). Lost Victory: The Rise & Fall of LTTE Supremo, V. Prabhakaran. Pentagon Press. pp. 107−110. ISBN 978-81-8274-443-1. https://books.google.com/books?id=WyRZKMxTPXsC. Retrieved 20 August 2023. 
  34. "Armament of the Georgian Army". Georgian Army. http://geo-army.ge/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=9&Itemid=9&lang=en. 
  35. "KBP RPO-A (Shmel)". https://www.militaryfactory.com/smallarms/detail.asp?smallarms_id=1166. 
  36. Simha, Rakesh Krishnan (2016-10-11). "Russian flamethrower ‘Shmel’ spearheaded surgical strikes" (in en-US). https://www.rbth.com/blogs/stranger_than_fiction/2016/10/11/russian-flamethrower-shmel-spearheaded-surgical-strikes_637715. 
  37. "Soi sức mạnh súng phóng lựu nhiệt áp RPO-A Shmel" (in vi). 2019-06-11. https://vov.vn/quan-su-quoc-phong/vu-khi/soi-suc-manh-sung-phong-luu-nhiet-ap-rpo-a-shmel-919505.vov. 
  38. Green lemon [@green_lemonnn] (17 December 2015). "#Syria RPO-A Shmel Thermobaric rockets used by NDF/SAA in Jabal Al Nuba against rebels /JN.". https://twitter.com/green_lemonnn/status/677294880771719168. 

External links